taylor



5 5,'2 Patented Dec. 20,898. A. 0. TAYLOR.

STEERING GEAR.

(Application filed Dec. 20, 1897,\

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

No. 6l6,2ll. atented Dec. 20, I898. A. 0. TAYLOR.

STEERING GEAR.

(Appl t nfil d1) 20 1897} 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No Model.)

1 I N .n. QR

N0. 6|6,2||. Patented Dec. 20, I898.

A. 0. TA YLOR.

STEERING GEAR.

Application filed Dec. 20, 1897.)

No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR O. TAYLOR, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

STEERING-G EAR.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 616,211, dated December20, 1898.

Application filed December 20,1897. Serial No. 662,766. (No model.)

To a. wit/1112, it nur/ concerw Be it known that I, ARTHUR O. TAYLOR, a

citizen of the United States, residing at New vresting horizontally on aframe and bed-plate and provided with pistons and piston-rods with rackends and operated in opposite directions by compressed air and actuatinga toothed and chain wheel on the-rudder-stock. The piston-rods are movedin opposite directions, and two levers attached to controllingrods openand close two sets of coned valves on each cylinder to admit thecompressed air and actuate the mechanism.

The object of my invention is, first, to provide a simple and powerfuldirect acting steering-gear for all classes of large vessels, wheregreat power, quick action, and simplicity of mechanism and operation arethe principal features; second, a steering-gear that can be successfullyoperated by any person of ordinary intelligence with but little or noexertion, and, third, a steering-gear the mechanism of which is in fullview of the operator at all times or which can be operated from any partof the vessel by the use of electrical appliances, if so desired. Iattain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan of the entire machine, partiallyin section. at the cylinder end of the machine. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of the machine as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. at is a verticallongitudinal section and partial elevation of the valve system in largesize, and Fig. 5 is a side elevation and section at w 00 of Fig. 4 andat right angles thereto; and Fig. 6 is a cross-section of the rack endsof the piston-rods and an elevation of their guides and of the toothedwheels, rudder-stock, and collar.

A is the bed-plate, of forged steel, to be securely bolted to the deckof a vessel and through which the rudder-stock B passes.

G are the cylinders; D, the service-pipe; E, the "exhaust-pipes; F, thethrottle-valve;

Fig. 2 is an elevation G, the coned valves to the cylinder, and H theexhaust-valves. The four valves (two service and two exhaust) of eachcylinder are connected by cranks to a controlling-rod I and operated bya lever J. These parts are duplicated at the other cylinder.

When the levers J are at the center posi tion, the valves of eachcylinder are all closed, thus forming aircushions in the opposite endsof the cylinders that maintain the parts in position. The exhaust-valvesmay be so set as to exhaust the air gradually or otherwise to suit theworkings of the machine.

, The piston-rods are preferably operated together by the separatelevers J. In cases where there is any damage to either cylinder or itsmechanism the mechanism of the other cylinder can be operatedindependently by bringing the levers to a central position in line withone another and then opening pet cocks (not shown in the'drawings) onthe under side of and at both ends of the cylinder to remain inactive,so as to allow all air under pressure to escape therefrom. In thisposition the other cylinder is operated at the expenditure of greaterpower. Both cylinders can thus be rendered inactive and the rudder beoperated in case of emergency by any usual or substitute mechanismtemporarily employed.

K is a toothed wheel which is loose upon the shoulder of therudder-stock, but is con nected thereto, as hereinafter described. L isalso a wheel securely bolted to the toothed wheel K and is in the formof a sprocketwheel, part way around which a fiat-linked chain or band Mpasses and is securely fastened at each end to the piston-rods. In thecenter of the sprocket or chain wheel L is a square or other shapedopening through the center of the wheel, in which a collar N, of squareor similar shape, is fitted.

O are hand-screws passing through the collar N for raising the same anddisconnecting the toothed wheel from the rudder -stock. The object ofdisconnecting the toothed wheel from the rudder-stock is to permit theapplication of a tiller attachment in connection with any auxiliary gearthat may be desirable while the mechanism may be undergo ing repairs.

P are the piston-rods. The piston-rods move in solid-steel guides Q, setat opposite points to the rudder-stock,and said rods pass throughhearings in the end of the frame of the machine, (indicated by R.) Thepistons are made in any well-known or desired manner.

V are packing-boxes designed so as to hold and set up the packing aroundthe pistonrods in the cylinder-heads.

V are set-screws with lock-nuts to take up wear in valves.

X are rings on the ends of the piston-rods for connecting therudder-chains.

I prefer to employ petcocks (not shown in the drawings) on under side ofand at each end of the cylinders to allow all air to escape therefromwhile using one cylinder or when repairs are necessary to be made.

The above-described compressed-air steering-gear is operated in thefollowing manner: By opening the throttle-valve the air-pressure isadmitted as far as the conical valves G to the cylinders. Then by movingthe two levers in opposite directions the service-valves are opened andexhaust-valves closed in opposite ends of the cylinders, or to renderthe valve system more easy of comprehension I would state that thesupply-valve is opened and the exhaust-valve closed in the end of thecylinder where the air is admitted, while the exhaust is opened and thesupply closed at the other end of the cylinder. Thus by moving thelevers in opposite directions the piston-rods are forced in oppositedirections, one pushing and the other pulling the toothed and chainwheels and turning the rudderstock and rudder. By reversing the positionof the levers the opposite result is attained and an air-cushionmaintained in the opposite ends of the cylinders at all times capable ofresisting all wave-shock and providing an air-cushion, allowing therudder to give slightly in either direction and return to its originalposition without moving the levers.

If either cylinder should need repairs, it can be disconnected bybringing its lever to center position, which cuts off the supply,andopening the petcocks on the under side of the cylinder and allowing theair contained therein to escape, when the other cylinder may be used tooperate the gear, but at the expenditure of increased power.

The machine partly rests on the rudderstock and tends to resist allpumping of the rudder, and by the use of a toothed and chain wheel itrenders the chocking of the rudder impossible, as the strain is directlyon the center of the rudder-stock at all times.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with cylinders forcompressed air, their pistons and piston-rods, of teeth forming racks inopposite edges of projections on said rods, the rudder-stock, a toothedwheel upon the rudder-stock meshing with the rack-teeth, valves forsupplying compressed air to the opposite ends of the cylinders toactuate the pistons in opposite directions, means for supplyingcompressed air to the valves from a common source of supply, and meansfor operating the valves, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with cylinders for compressed air, their pistons andpiston-rods, of teeth forming racks in opposite edges of projections onsaid rods, the rudder -stoek, a toothed wheel upon the rudder-stockmeshing with the rack-teeth, a second wheel in the form of a sprocketconnected to the toothed Wheel and a chain or band passing part wayaround the same and connected at its respective ends to the piston-rods,valves for supplying compressed air to the opposite ends of thecylinders to actuate the pistons in opposite directions, means forsupplying compressed air to the valves from a common source of supplyand means for operating the valves, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with cylinders for compressed air, their pistons andpiston-rods and means for operating the same, of teeth forming racks inopposite edges of projections of the piston-rods, the rudder-stocksquared at the upper end, a toothed wheel supported upon therudder-stock and having an open center of square or other shape andmeshing with the rack-teeth, a collar upon the squared end of therudder-stock peripherally agreeing with the open center of the toothedwheel, and adapted to enter said center and effect the engagement of thewheel and rudderstock, and means for elevating the collar anddisengaging the parts, substantially as specified.

4E. The combination with cylinders for compressed air, their pistons,piston-rods, the rudder-stock and means actuated by the pistonrods forturning the rudder-stock, of valves at the opposite ends of thecylinders, rods and cranks connecting the valves, levers for actuatingthe valves of the cylinders in sets, service-pipes and a throttle-valvecommon to said pipes for supplying the valves with compressed air,substantially as specified.

5. The combination with cylinders for (30111- pressed air,their pistons,piston-rods, the rudder-stock and means actuated by the pistonrods forturning the rudder-stock, of conical supply and exhaust valves in pairsat the opposite ends of each cylinder, exhaust-pipes from theexhaust-valves, servicepipes connecting the supply-valves atcorresponding ends of the cylinders and to a common throttle-valve orsource of supply, cranks and rods connecting the pairs of valves at oneend of the cylinder with those at the other end, and pivoted leversadapted to be moved in alternate opposite directions for actuating thesupply and exhaust valves, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

ARTHUR O. TAYLOR.

Witnesses:

WALTER F. NIGHTINGALE, EDWARD V. Lnwrs.

